Home is Where the Heart Is
by Quilavamaster18
Summary: Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. -Oliver Wendell Holmes A Christmas One-Shot


~Home is Where the Heart is~

**Hello everybody, and a Merry Christmas to you, or well Happy Holidays to those that don't celebrate Christmas. I know that lots of children want all types of toys and gifts for Christmas but I know some kids that have a parent deployed for the holidays so I thought I would make this a little different than most of the Christmas stories that are being uploaded today. Enjoy.  
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**This story is dedicated to all the families that are missing someone for the holidays.**

"And all I want for Christmas is"

"Mommy!" a little girl, around the age of five, came running down the stair of the family's home. Her small violet ponytail swaying behind her, and arms extended wide, running towards her mother who just happened to be decorating the family Christmas tree that was placed in the living room located at the front of the house.

The home was decorated to perfection, like it was every year. Stockings hung from the fireplace mantle as a fire was lit from below. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling above the loveseat, located in the center of the room, rotated so that you wouldn't hit the coffee table or couch when you stood up. Garland was hung on the staircase railing as well as around the archways between the living room and dining room. A wreath was placed on the front door, giving the welcoming feeling that the holiday itself gave off.

The mother stopped her singing along to the music in the background and turned to her daughter, who had already arrived next to her. The little girl's eye matched that of her mother's, a deep sapphire blue, although her mother had a rich blue hair, unlike he daughter who had received her father's hair colour. "Sierra, I was wondering when you would get down here to help me. Come on, up you go," the blue haired bluenette picked up her daughter and put her on the stool.

"I hurried; I was writing my list for Santa. I thought really hard about it too." The little girl, Sierra retorted her mother's statement as she started placing ornaments on the tree that she was handed.

"Oh really, well what did you come up with?"

"Hehe, I can't tell you, then I won't get it." Sierra giggled at her mother.

"Actually sweetie that is for-" The two girls turned toward the door that had opened up, letting in a young, eleven year old boy. The boy took off his shoes and walked into the living room, followed by another boy about the same age and a brunette woman.

"Hey mom, I'm home. Leaf wanted to talk to you and Nate wanted to check out the new game I got the other day." The young boy that walked in first said a spitting image of his father, violet hair and onyx eyes. He had gestured to 'Nate' who was the other boy, having light brown hair that was spiked at the front.

"Alright Kye, just don't make a mess, and once Leaf and Nate leave I'm going to need your help putting the tree topper on."

"Okay, thanks mom," Kye sated before dragging his friend upstairs.

"Thanks Mrs. Shinji!" Nate called as he ran up the stairs with Kye.

"Hey Dawn, they are so energetic today for some reason. Hi Sierra, helping with the tree I see. Would it be okay if I take your mommy for a few minutes," Leaf asked tucking some of her long brown locks behind her ear. The little girl nodded and Leaf and Dawn exited the room, leaving her to decorate the tree by herself.

"So have you had any word from Paul?" Leaf asked as she took a seat at the kitchen table, referring to Dawn's husband who was currently fighting overseas. "I mean this is the second year he has been on duty, is he getting leave at all?"

"I don't know; I wish I could see him in person for just one day. Just so I could see a smile on Kye face again, he still hasn't smiled since Paul left. Not even a little smirk; I'm getting really worried about him." Dawn said looking into the glass of milk she had poured for herself.

"Even if he isn't, we're all coming over in a couple days for Christmas dinner," Leaf smiled at her friend. The warming smile that could make even the saddest person have a smile put on their face.

"Ya I know I'll still have my family; I just wish he would show up this year." The bluenette sighed. Footsteps could be heard coming from the stairs, signalling that the boys were done. Voices could be heard coming from the living room, Kye and Nate asking Sierra where Leaf and Dawn had gone to, soon followed by the three children walking into the kitchen.

"We're all done upstairs mom," Nate stated. "I'm ready all ready to go." A large smile on his face as Sierra hugged him goodbye.

"Alright, we need to get back to dad anyway; I don't trust him with Kris all by himself yet." Leaf said standing up and tucking the chair back into its original position.

"You know this is your second child and I mean she's daddy's girl isn't she? I mean Nate turned out alright." Dawn said walking over to pick Sierra up off of Nate.

"Ya, except the fact that he has Gary's personality. Well we should be going now, See you in a couple days. We'll be over around noon." Leaf said as she tucked her feet into her boot and walked out the door with Nate right behind her.

Dawn closed the door and returned to the living room. There she saw her two children finishing putting the Christmas ornaments on the tree. "Mom, the tree is ready. We can put the topper on now, right?" Kye asked as his little sisters gave their mother her irresistible puppy-dog pout.

"Yes of course, Kye you get to do the honors, just like last year." Dawn replied smiling at her children trying to make the best of the holiday even though the whole family wasn't there.

~oOo~

The days had gone past and Christmas day was upon them. Christmas spirit as the children ran down the staircases to see what Santa had brought them for being good girls and boys. The cheer all around the world was gleaming through families and the winter holiday.

Dawn had been awoken by Sierra; Kye soon helped his sister to get his mother out of bed so that they could begin their Christmas morning. Finally they had dragged the bluenette downstairs and began to open their stocking to see what was hidden inside.

Dawn had ventured off to the kitchen while her children were un-wrapping their stocking stuffers to heat up some milk so she could make hot chocolate for the three. Looking out the window as she heated the milk on the stove, a light snow was falling; the white powder covering the ground.

The milk had heated and she mixed in the cocoa and sugar, pouring it into three mugs. Dawn placed the mugs on a tray and carried them to the living room where her children sat waiting for her to return. Dawn placed the tray on the coffee table and sat on the couch, signalling for her children to begin opening presents.

Dawn watch as her children opened their gifts, hoping that her son would finally have a smile on his face, but to no avail. The same expressionless face was on his face, even though he enjoyed the holiday and the time with family, the same face as always, like his father used to have when he was young.

"Mommy this is for you, big brother and me got it for you." Sierra stood in front of her mom holding a messily wrapped gift with a large red and green bow placed on top of it. Dawn took the gift that her children had gotten for her, and placed it onto her lap saying a quick thank you to the two. Beginning to take off the wrapping paper she noticed that it was an elegant box underneath, the farther she had gotten the paper off, the more she noticed the box. Finally the full box exposed, carefully taking the lid off she noticed the necklace with a single diamond chained to it. She couldn't help but stare and wonder how the two young children could afford such a beautiful necklace. "I opened up my piggy bank...Sir Oinkers will rest in peace," answering her mother's question, signalling that Dawn was think aloud.

"Then I used the money I got from walking dogs." Kye explained next, "We know that dad always gets you something small like that, and since he isn't here, we got it."

"Well, thank you, but you really didn't have to. What's this?" Dawn asked sierra as she brought another poorly wrapped present to her lap. She looked at the tag, another gift from the two...although this one was much simpler, a portrait of the family, drawn in crayon. Sure it wasn't anything special, but to Dawn it meant that even though her husband and children's father wasn't there, he was still in the heart of the family.

The day had gone faster than expected and soon the whole gang was at the Shinji family household. May and Drew arrived, Drew holding their youngest, Carla who was the age of three, May holding their oldest Scarlett, aged nine. Both girls had their mother's chestnut brown hair and their father's emerald green eyes. Misty and Ash, their twin boys, Josh and Aaron both with black hair and chocolate brown eyes aged six, like their father and their thirteen year-old girl Paige like Misty, had orange hair and blue eyes, although her hair was much longer than her mother's going down her back to her tail bone. Lastly, Leaf and Gary arrived with their one year older and Kris and Nate.

They were seated around the table enjoying their Christmas dinner, laughing and telling stories. The kids were seated at another table in the dining room, as well, laughing and goofing around. The meal was finished and everyone had gone to the living room, aside from Dawn who was just putting the last of the plates into the dishwasher. The laughter and cheer had grown silent, which attracted Dawn's attention, quickly finishing what she was doing and walking out to the living room to see what the fuss was about. She observed the living room with a confused look on her face; nothing was out of the ordinary. Then she noticed the smile on her son's face, large enough to match his sister's.

A pair of hand wrapped around her waist from behind, starling her. "How's the necklace?" at that moment she knew. She knew why it had gone silent; she knew why her son was smiling once again. She knew that her one wish for Christmas had come true. He was home. After two years he was home. Once the grip was let a little loose, she turned around, putting her arms around him. The warmth of his body, the safety she felt at the moment, what she hadn't ad for too long. The hung was soon joined by their children.

"Paul," she whispered to herself. "You're home."

**Thanks for reading. I know that it is a day late but I was spending time with the family yesterday so I forgot to post it...so I had to change this authors note...sorry.**

**I hope you enjoyed and had a Merry Christmas. Until next time **


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